How can a centuries-old theatrical tradition become a catalyst for contemporary fashion image-making? Ferrari Fashion School’s collaboration with Teatro Colla explored this question through A Study in Wonder, an interdisciplinary project that invited Fashion Styling students to reinterpret Alice in Wonderland through editorial fashion. Rooted in archival research, costume studies and creative direction, the project transformed one of Italy’s most renowned marionette theatre traditions into a platform for developing new visual narratives.
At a time when fashion increasingly looks beyond seasonal trends toward cultural heritage, visual storytelling and interdisciplinary collaboration, projects of this nature reflect a broader shift within creative education. Archives are no longer viewed simply as repositories of the past, but as active resources capable of generating contemporary ideas, encouraging designers and stylists to engage critically with history while shaping new forms of visual communication.
Fashion, Theatre and the Value of Cultural Heritage
Developed by Ferrari Fashion School in collaboration with Teatro di Gianni e Cosetta Colla, one of Italy’s most important historic marionette companies, the project immersed students in an environment where craftsmanship, costume and storytelling have been preserved across generations. Guided by lecturers Vincenzo Pernice, Federica Meacci and Riccardo Carrapa, students were encouraged to approach imagination as a discipline cultivated through research, observation and experimentation rather than instinct alone. The collaboration reflected Ferrari Fashion School’s experiential learning philosophy, connecting academic study with professional creative practice while demonstrating how theatre can inform contemporary fashion styling.
Alice as a Contemporary Creative Framework
Rather than reproducing the familiar imagery of Alice in Wonderland, students investigated the story’s enduring cultural significance. From John Tenniel’s original illustrations to interpretations by Tim Burton, Vivienne Westwood, Viktor & Rolf and contemporary fashion photography, the project examined how a single narrative continues to evolve across disciplines and generations. Through iconographic research, conceptual development and visual analysis, students learned that fashion styling begins not with garments, but with the ability to construct meaning through references, symbolism and cultural context.
From Research to Editorial Storytelling
The creative process followed a structured methodology that included textual analysis, moodboard development, brainstorming, fashion research and editorial concept creation before moving into styling and image production. The Teatro Colla’s working archive and production collection in Legnano became both a research environment and a visual backdrop, reinforcing the relationship between historical preservation and contemporary creativity. Students gained direct access to the original production materials from Teatro Colla’s 1997 staging of Alice in Wonderland. By incorporating historic marionettes, accessories, set designs, and stage props directly into their creative direction, they enriched their editorial fashion shoots with authentic theatrical artifacts. The resulting editorial images, photographed by Natalia Saurin, translated extensive research into compelling visual narratives, demonstrating how styling functions as both a creative and analytical practice.
Preparing Stylists for an Experience-Driven Industry
As fashion continues to embrace cultural institutions, archives and interdisciplinary collaborations, the ability to transform historical references into relevant contemporary narratives has become an increasingly valuable professional skill. Projects such as A Study in Wonder illustrate how fashion education can move beyond technical execution to cultivate research, critical thinking and visual authorship. In an industry where originality is often shaped by the reinterpretation of existing cultural narratives, perhaps the most important creative skill is not simply imagining something new, but learning to see familiar stories through an entirely different lens.
